Rotary drilling machine



March 17g, 1942. R. R. BLoss 2,276,561

ROTARY DRILLING MACHINE Filed June 5, k1939 4 SheetSI-Sheet'l gmc/MM ,@/cHA/eo E 51.055

. .y am' www March 17, 1942. R, R BLOSS ROTARY DRILIQING MAcHmE Filed June 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 17, 1942. R. R. BLoss ROTARY DRILLING 'MACHINE Filed June 5, 1939 4 Shees-Sheet 3 I ,P/ CHA eD E. BL 055 @www March 17, 1942. R, R, BLos 2,276,5@31

ROTARY DRILLING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l l C, 60a 26 Patented Mar. '17, 1942 ROTRY DRILLING MACHINE Richard R. Bloss, Beaumont, Tex., assignor to The International Derrick' & Equipment Company of Texas, Beaumont, Texas, a corporation of Texas Application June. 5, 1939, Serial No. 277,459

(Cl. Z55-23) -2 Claims.

This invention relates to a rotary drilling machine.

An object of the invention is to provide a rotary drilling machine embodying a novel lubricating system whereby the gearing for driving the- `rotary tablethe rotary table bearings and the pinion shaft bearings will be eiciently lubricated and foreign matter excluded from the driving gearing, the bearings and the lubricant.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a rotary drilling machine novel sealing means between the rotary table and the surrounding wall of the base.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a machine of this type a novel type of table lock for locking the rotary table against rotation relative to the table base.

The invention also embodies a novel type of box-like base construction for mounting the rotary table.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined base and table structure wherein the base is of a novel box-like construction presenting a horizontally disposed top with the' table mounted therein so that its upper surface will be substantially flush with the upper surface of the base thus providing ample working space for workmen about the table and also embodying means for eliiciently excluding foreign matter from the interior of the machine.

With the above and'other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, examples of which are given in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the complete machine.

Figure 2 shows a longitudinal, sectional view.

Figure 3 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view.

Figure 4 shows a perspective view, partly in section, of the base structure as viewed from the bottom.

Figure 5 shows a horizontal, sectional view of said structure as viewed from beneath.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view of the table guard and associated parts.`

Figure 7 shows a longitudinal, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view, illustrating another embodiment of the table locking` device, and

Figure 8 shows a fragmentary, plan View ofthe locking device illustrated in Figure '7.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference ldesignate the sameparts in each of the figures, the numeral I designates the base structure, as a whole, which is of an inverted, box-like form having the -side walls 2, 2, the end walls il,v 4 and the top 5. The

' top is approximately horizontal, the entire top plane. Thlower surface lying` in a j.. approximately horizontal, ginszofthe walls 2, 2 terminate the-skids, l runners, 6, Iiwhose ends are upwardly turned as more accurately shown in Figure 4.

The top 5 has a circular opening 1 ofsomewhat greater diameter than the width of the base, said opening being defined on each side by the laterally arched hoods 8, 8 formed integrally with the side walls 2, 2. The opening I is defined by a vertical wall, circular in horizontal crosssection, designated generally by the numeral 9 and shown more clearly in Figures 4 and 5. The' lower end ofthe wall is reduced in diameter, forming, by such reduction, a horizontally extending annular ledge I0 which has an annular, inside, upstanding rim II shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 3 and the wall extends on upwardly and is outwardly offset forming the intermediate annular ledge I2 as yshown in Figures 2, 4 and 5, and near its upper end is again outwardly offset defining the opening 1, said last mentioned offset portion being provided with ports as I3 through which slush or foreign matter may pass and drop through the base as-more accurately hereinafter explained.

AThe rim Il and the outer wall thus forming an annular channel within the wall of which the ledge III forms the bottom. The circular wall 9 is anchored in place by the radial, vertically ex tended, webs I4, I5 which are formed integrally with said Walls, the webs I4 being formed integrally with the side walls 2 and the webs I5 `being formed integrally with the end wall 4 all more accurately in Figures 4 vided with an yextension I8 later referred to and the purpose of which will be explained.

The base consisting ofthe parts hereinabove described is preferably cast as a single unit.

The numeral 20 designates the rotary tableasl a whole. It is noted in the opening 1 with its upper surface substantially flush with the upper surface of the top 5 of the base. It will be noted from an inspection of Figure l that the top surface 5 of the base extends each way beyond the rotary table thus providing walking space at each end for Workmen.

Around the opening 1 the top of the base is.

the dening wall 9 there is an annular ange 23 which extends up into said groove. Within and fitting closely against the inner wall of the ange 23 there is a suitable, outwardly expansible seal ring 24 which is seated in a circular groove in the rotary table as clearly shown in the Figures 2 and 3. A very elcient seal is thus provided to exclude foreign matter from the gearing and bearings of the rotary table which will be hereinafter described to the end that all foreign matter that may find its way past the guard ring l 2| and into the opening 1 will be forced to pass outwardly through the openings I3 and drop down through the base.

The rotary table has the usual central opening for the drill pipe which is surrounded by a depending skirt 25 whose lower end is provided with a series of notches 26 therearound. As will be noted from an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 the lower end of the skirt is reduced in diameter and fitted snugly within the reduced lower en d of the wall 9. The reduction of the lower end" of .said skirt provides the external, downwardly facing, annular bearing face 21 aboutthe skirt of the table against which there is fitted and secured the upper raceway ring 28 which surrounds said skirt. On' the ledge I0 within the wall 9 there is the raceway ring 28. The rings 21, 28 have the opposing complemental raceways 29, 30. therein in which the series of ball bearings 3| are confined and which support the table i 20. The series of balls 3| are mounted in the usual annular cage 3Ia. There is an annular hold down ring 32 supported on and anchored to the upper ledge I2 of the wall 9 and which is preferably formed of two sections for ease in assembly. 'I'he inner margin of the hold down ring overlaps an external, annular flange 33 on the table, said ring and flange forming an upthrust bearing to maintain the table securely seated on the bearings 3| on which it is mounted.

The upper end of'the opening through the table is enlarged and polygonal in shape thus providing an inside supporting seat 34 for the table bushing 35which is mounted in the table and extends downwardly into the table skirt and is formed to receive conventional drive bushings for engaging and driving the kelly of the drill stem.

'I'he bushing 35 is formed of sections, two being shown. The upper end of each section of the bushing is shown with a radial bearing 3B, aligned with a corresponding bearing 31 in the table. In this table bearing there is a slidably mounted lock pin 38 provided with a handle 39 which is engageable in either of two notches 40, 4I. handle 39 may be manipulated to release it from said notches'and the lock pin 38 may be then which are in mesh with a pinion 43 which isv located in the case |6 and which is fixed on the inner end of the pinion shaft 44. This pinion shaft is mounted to rotate in the inner and outer bearing assemblies 45, 46 which in turn are mounted in the inner and outer ends respectively of the pinion bearing case 41. This case is approximately cylindrical in form and is fitted Ythrough the housing I6. In its outer end is `provided with an external, annular flange 48 which may be bolted to the end wall 3 of the base by means of the cap bolts 49. When installed in I place the pinion 43 on the shaft will be properly located in the pinion case |6a and in mesh with ,f the gear ring 42. The pinion bearing casing hasy t f a bottom drain opening 50. Threaded onto the shaft in abutting relation with the outer end ofv .the bearing assembly 46' are the `lock nutslilJ enclosed by the closure cap 52 and fixed on thc'fv extended outer end of the pinion shaft 44 there is the usual sprocket wheel 53 through which the f pinion shaft and the 4rotary table may be turned. The bottom of the pinion case |6a forms a main sump 54 to contain the required quantity of lubricant. The pinion 43, as it rotates, will dip down into the lubricant in said sump and its gear teeth will carry the lubricant up to the teeth of the gearing 42 and lubricate the same. This gearing rotates at a sufiiciently high rate of speed to throw a portion of said lubricant forwardly partly onto the ange 33 and partly ont'o the bearings 3|, whereby the gearing, the upthrust bearing surfaces and the bearings 3| will be thoroughly lubricated. The lubricant draining from the supporting bearing assembly will drain -into the annular channel in which said assembly is located and will return back into the sump 54 through the drain port 55 through the ledge l0.

The inner end of the pinion bearing case 41, at the top, has an outwardly declining drainy duct 53 and also has a cup 51 at the outer end of said duct adjacent the outer ends ofthe gear teeth. A portion of the lubricant `thrown off from the gear teeth will be thrown into said cup and will drain from it through the duct 56 into the pinion bearing case 41. Y

The ends of this bearing case have the` annular weirs 58, 59 extending radially inwardly. The weir, or dam, 58 extends slightly further inwardly than the weir, or dam, 59 so 'that the lubricant collecting within the case 41 willnally overflow the Weir 59 into the bearing assembly by a suitable closure cap. Sediments may be drained out of the pinion bearing case and Athe main sump through the respective drainopenings It will be noted that by removing the cap bolts 49 the pinion bearing case, the pinion shaft and pinion and the bearings for said shaftmay be removed from unit.

the housing I5 or replaced as a' In carrying on drilling operations, particularly in making up and breaking out the drill stem, the torsion to which the drill stem is subjected is often transmitted to the rotary table. Accordingly, means have been provided vfor locking the rotary table against rotation, when desired, to relieve the gearing of this torsional strain. As illustrated in Figure 2, there is shown a table lock plunger 60 whose inner end works ina radial bearing in the extension i8 and which, when in its inner or active position, is engageabl'e in one of the notches 26. Mounted in asuitable bearing 6| in the end wall of the base there is a cam shaft 62 and fastened on the inner end of said shaft 62 there is a cam shaped disc 63 whose margin runs in a groove 64 of the head 65 on the outer end of the plunger 60. A coil spring 66 which surrounds the outer end ofthe plunger and which is 'interposed between the head 65v and the outer end of the extension I8 normally acts to retain the plunger retracted. Fixed on the outer end of the cam shaft 62 is any suitable type of operating handle, indicated generally by the numeral 6l whereby the cam shaft 62 and cam disc 53 may be turned. The disc 63 is shaped so that when it is given a half turn in one direction it will force the plunger 60 inwardly projecting its inner end through an aligned notch 26 of the table skirt 25, thus locking the table against rotation and relieving the gearing of torsional strain. Upon rotation of the cam disc 63 in the other direction, the spring 66 will Withdraw the plunger 60 into inactive position to permit the rotary table to turn.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 there is a plunger 60a whose inner end works in the radial bearing of the extension I8. The outer end of this plunger 60a is slidable and rotatable in a bearing I a carried by the end wall 4. The outer end of the plunger 60a carries an upstanding handle or grip 61 by means of which the plunger may be actuated inwardly through tation or outwardly into inactive position as shown in Figure 7. -Thehandle 61 may, upon actuation of the plunger a, be swung into either of opposing notches 68, 68 when it is desired to lock the plunger in inactive position or into either of the opposing notches 69, 69 when it is desired to lock said plunger in active position.

The drawings and description are illustrative merely and not restrictive, the broad principle of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rotary drilling machine the combina-` tion of Aa unitary baseof a rectangular inverted box-like construction, a gear table rotatably mounted on the base, and having an' annular groove, the top portion of the base having its ends yextended each way 'beyond the table and the upper surface of thel extended ends being substantially flush with the top surface of the table, a hold-down ring forming an upthrust bearing between the table and base, an annular upstanding vertical wall on the base around the table and an annular seal ring forming a seal in said groove between the table and wall to retain a Alubricant and to exclude foreign matter.

2. In a rotary drilling machine the combina' tion of a base having a vertical opening and having an upstanding annular wall about the opening, a rotary table rotatably mounted in the opening and having an annular groove, said base having an integral extension on each end about said opening', the top surface of the extension lying in substantially the same plane as the top surface of the rotary table, said base having vertical side walls and end walls which define a box-like construction, an annular stationary ring shaped to fit against the inside surface of the upstanding annular wall and nestle within the table groove to form a seal.

RICHARD R. BLOSS. 

